Body Image Articles

Find current and practical information by browsing IDEA's large collection of body image articles.

What words and images do you use to advertise your body-mind business? Traditional ads that feature thin, buff models with seemingly perfect bodies resonate with only a very small portion of the general public--those who are already “converted” to staying fit.

Almost everyone you talk to these days is concerned about their health and wants to look and feel better. However, despite our best efforts, the wellness community has not been able to inspire the sedentary masses to embrace a healthier lifestyle ...

Every day, essentially every minute of the workday, wellness professionals strive to inspire others, either one-on-one or in a group setting. A yoga or Pilates class attracts people of all fitness levels, goals, needs, interests, abilities and personalities.....

According to a report in the July issue of the American Journal of Psychiatry (2006; 163, 1280–82), persons suffering from body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) are 45 times more likely to commit suicide than nonsufferers. BDD causes individuals to become obsessed with their appearance and to develop a distorted self-image.
Researchers studied 185 subjects over 4 years and found ...

19% = the number of overweight people who would risk death to be thin.
33% = the number of obese people who would risk their life to lose 10 pounds.
4% = the number of normal-weight people who would take that risk to shed 10 pounds.
31% = the number of obese people who would trade up to 5% of their remaining years to be 10% thinner...

Think your kindergartner is too young to worry about dieting? You might be surprised to learn that girls as young as 5 years old who dabble in dieting are at higher risk for future weight gain,
negative body image and disordered eating than girls who have
no dietary restraints during childhood.